Thirdly, if in cutting off the butt, a part of the husks are left on the ear of corn, as will frequently be the case, there is nothing in these huskers to take off the husks so left.

Fourthly, some of these machines are complicated, expensive, and liable to get out of repair.

These objections are all removed or overcome by Dr. Holmes' ingenius invention, represented above. This machine has two hands operating automatically, or apparently self-opening and shutting, in imitation of the human hands. The corn is fed into it by placing the top of the ear into the hole or slot in the partition, and letting the middle part rest in the notch of the rest A. By turning the balance-wheel D, the hands are made to approach each other and close upon the ear, each grasping one-half of the husk. They then separate, tearing the husks from the ear, and draw it through the hole in the partition, when an automatic clamp-but partially seen in the engraving-grasps the ear, pulls it through, and holds it there till the knife, B, separates the stem and husks from the ear. The hands then open and let the husks drop on the outside, and the clamp opens and allows the ear to drop on the inside of the partition. The guides, E E, keep the hands. open while they approach each other ready for another ear. The cam wheel O (seen through the opening of the knife-guard), keeps the clamp open, and closes up to the partition, ready to grasp another ear, and pull it through after it has been husked. An improvement has been added, so that the automatic hands are made to stop just before they close to grasp the husks, if there is no ear of corn there to be husked. If there is one there they will go right on and husk it; and when they are stopped, they will start right off as soon as another ear is presented, and husk it.

There is no gearing or belting about this machine, the hands being moved backwards and forwards by a simple crank motion, and will operate equally well whichever way the crank is turned, and requires but one dog power to turn it.

The drawing for the above engraving was taken from a machine in actual operation, and is no fancy sketch.

The following are some of the advantages gained and qualities possessed by this husker:

1. It is a labor-saving machine. Two hands with it will do the work of from three to five men.

2. It makes the tedious and unpleasant operation of husking corn almost a pastime.

3. Corn can be husked with it in the winter with mittens on, as well as at any other time.

4. It is not necessary to pick the corn from the stalk before feeding into this husker.

5. Where corn grows high, as in the western States, it will husk on the hill as well as in the barn, or at the shock. This is done by placing the machine in the side of a wagon box of the right height, then drive the team so that the husker will be next the row of corn to be husked. The boy who drives the team will turn the crank, and the feeder will sit on a convenient seat on the outside of the wagon box. He then bends over a stalk sufficiently to let the ear lie in the notch between the hands, when it is husked and drops into the wagon, the stalk flies back by its own elasticity; then another ear is presented, and so on until the wagon is loaded. It will thus pick the corn from the hill, husk it and load it into the wagon with only once handling; and do it just as fast as the most expert can feed in the ears.

6. The frame of this machine is light, made of wood, and is three feet nine inches long, one foot and one-half an inch wide, and about three feet high. For husking corn on the hill, the posts are made shorter, so that the feed-hole will come just above the edge of the wagon box. The whole machine will weigh about 150 pounds, and can be conveniently carried from shock to shock by the two persons working it, if desired.

7. It is simple in its construction. and not liable to get out of repair.

8. United States letters patent were granted to the inventor, Ezra S. Holmes, on the 10th day of February, Á. D. 1857.